The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of garden rose plant which originated from a controlled crossing between an unnamed seedling and xe2x80x98POULnormxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/276,892). The two parents were crossed and the resulting seeds were planted in a controlled environment. The new variety is named xe2x80x98POULisabxe2x80x99.
The new rose may be distinguished from its seed parent, an unnamed seedling, by the following combination of characteristics:
1. The seed parent is a floribunda, whereas xe2x80x98POULisabxe2x80x99 is a shrub.
2. The seed parent has a light fragrance, where xe2x80x98POULisabxe2x80x99 has a strong fragrance.
3. The plant habit of the seed parent is lower and bushier than xe2x80x98POULisabxe2x80x99.
The new variety may be distinguished from its pollen parent, xe2x80x98POULnormxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/276,892, dated Mar. 25, 1999), created by the same inventors, by the following combination of characteristic:
1. The pollen parent is a climbing rose and is much taller than xe2x80x98POULisabxe2x80x99.
2. xe2x80x98POULnormxe2x80x99 has a narrower growth habit than that of xe2x80x98POULisabxe2x80x99.
The objective of the hybridization of this rose variety for nursery and garden use was to create a new and distinct variety with unique qualities, such as:
1. Uniform and abundant flowers;
2. Vigorous, compact growth;
3. Exceptional fragrance;
4. Disease Resistance.
This combination of qualities is not present in previously available commercial cultivars of this type and distinguish xe2x80x98POULisabxe2x80x99 from all other varieties of which we are aware.
As part of their rose development program, L. Pernille Olesen and Mogens N. Olesen germinated the seeds from the aforementioned hybridization and conducted evaluations on the resulting seedlings in a controlled environment in Fredensborg, Denmark.
xe2x80x98POULisabxe2x80x99 was selected in the spring of 1991 by the inventors as a single plant from the aforementioned hybridization.
Asexual reproduction of xe2x80x98POULisabxe2x80x99 by traditional budding was first done by L. Pernille and Mogens N. Olesen in August 1991, at their nursery in Fredensborg, Denmark. This initial and other subsequent propagations conducted in controlled environments have demonstrated that the characteristics of xe2x80x98POULisabxe2x80x99 are true to type and are transmitted from one generation to the next.